Tucker adjusting mechanism



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 9, 1945. H. J. WERDEN EI'AL TUCKER ADJUSTING MECHANISM Fi1ed ug s, 1943 H. J. WERDEN ET AL TUCKE'R ADJUSTING MECHANISM Jan. 9, 1945.

Filed Aug. 3, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 NNN INVENTOR H EN RY J. WERDEN BY FRANCIS A ORNEY Jan. 9, 1945.

H. -J. WERDEN ET AL TUCKER ADJUSTING. MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR H EN RY J; WERDEN BY FRANCIS G. RDE

A ORNEY 68 will adjust the tucker 12 inwardly or outwardly. The end of the shaft 68 projecting from the bracket 14 has a squared cross-section sdably fitting a tube 16 fastened 130 the end 01 a Spindle 18 havi ng a left-hand threaded portion threaded into a tucker-supporting arm 80, carrying the other tucker 82. The arm 80 is free to slide on bracket 83 and is guided thereon by guides 84 and 85 fastened 110 the arm and extending under the bottom of the bracket. The bracket 83 is clan1ped by bolts 86 110 the support 81 which is slidably mounted on a shaft 88 and moved outwardly during the delivery of the loaf a collar 94 fastened on shaft 88, whereby the tucker 82 will be returned to its inward position to tuck one end of the wrapper enfolding the artic1e delivered '00 the lifter table. The bracket 14 is similarly clamped 110 a support 95 similarly mounted on shaft 88 and provided with a plate 96 engaging a roller 91 on block 91 against which it is he1d by compression spring 98. The bevel gear 64 on shaft 60 is he1d in mesh with bevel gear 66 by a compression spring 99, seated against bracket 62 andbearing against a knob 100 on the projecting end of shaft 60. Thus upon pushing the knob inwardly the gears 62 and 66 will be disengaged and the tuckers may be manua11y adjusted, as is desirable when changing from wrapping bread to wrapping cartons, by turning the tube 16 by band. With the illustrated construction, moreover, it is p0ssibl 1:0 have a greater range of adjustment without recourse 130 reversal of the tuckers from one side of the tucker slpporting arms to the other, as heretofore, for maximum and minimum lengths of articles.

Referring to Figs. 2-6 wherein am shown the details 01 the conveyor adjusting mechanism which form no part of the praserrt invention, and constitute subject matter of our above-mentioned application, S. N. 349,924, it may be noted that a sprocket chain 202 driven from a sprocket 203 on the shaft 12 drives a sprocket 204 on a shaft 206 to which the universal joint 156 is fastened. said universal joint carrying the tube 154 which is connected 120 the universal joint (not shown) fastened 120 the pinion shaft o1 the pusher adjusting mechanism (not shown). Shaft 206 is .mounteol in bearing lugs formed on a housing 201 fastened 110 one of the side frames 112, and is also provided With.a pinion 208 driving a gear 210 0n a countershaft 212 alsomounted in seid bearing 1ugs of housing 201. Shaft 212 carries a worm 214 which meshes with a worm wheel 216 mounted on a shaft 218 journaled in housing 201. On shaft 218 is mounted a pinion 220 meshing With a r'ack worm 222 carried by a sha.ft 224 rotatably m0unted in housing 201 and also sdable therein A rack 226 is fastened at one end in the worm 222 and projects into a sleeve 230 on which are mounted sprockets 232 and 234 having abutting flanges which enclose the ends of a cross-shaft 236, projecting through sleeve 230 and bearing 238 in sleeve 230. A pinion 242 on shaft 236 meshes with the rack 226 whereby bevel gears 244 and 246 on the ends of shaft 236, which mesh With ring gears 248 and 250 fastened the sprockets 232 and 234, respectively, may be 1'0- tated 130 turn the sprockets 232 ancl234 in oppo- *site directions simultaneously. The sprockets 232 and 234 are driven from a bevel gear 252 which is fastend 130 the sleeve 230 and intermittently driven from a suitable indexing mechanism (not shown), the s1eeve heilig supported by a bearing 254 secured 130 the side frame 112.

Sprocket 232 drives a sprocket chain 256 1:0 which are fastened at equa1 intervals a series of brackets 258 each having fastened thereon a flight 262 (Fig. 2). Sprocket 234 drives a chain 264 to which are fastened at equal intervals a series 01 braekets 266 on each of which is pivoted an arm 268 which is urged upwardly by a torsion spring 210. Flights 212 are fastened to the upper end of each arm 268 in position opposing an adjacent flight 262 to clamp a 1oaf of bread therebetween. It may be noted that each torsion spring urges its respective flight 212 aWay from the opposing flight 262 of the other chain so that the loaf of bread may readi1y enter between them, which is particularly desirable with sliced loaves. The inner upper end of each arm 268 is suitably beveled and the lower end of each flight is disposecl a1; an acute angle 130 the remainder of the fiight, so that the extent which the flight 212 neecls to be swung back to admit the 1oaf may be substantially reduced. Each insertecl loaf is then advanced. between a set of flights 262 212, whereby the cam roller 214 on the lower end 01 the arm 268 Iides along the inclined face of the cam rail 216 on the bottom face thereof and swings the fiight 212 against the adjacent end of the loaf to firmly clasp it against the fght 262 and maintains flight 212 in clamping position a1; the 1oaf-8jecting station. By the above described relative adjustment of the sprmckets 232 and 234, various lengths of loaves may be accommodated, as th coacting flights 015 each Set may be brought closer together or farther apart Within the desired range. Each flight has a bend in its mid-portion forming a s1ot adapted to receive the lugs or projections 121 and 129 of the pusher arms. These lugs project sufi1ciently into the slots assure removal 0f the heels of sliced bread loaves.

The loaves are delivered from a ahnte (not shown), or from the delivery conveyor 0f a s1ic ing machine, on to a runway 280 having a longitudinal s1ot through which the arms supporting the flights travel int0 loaf-receiving and ejecting positions successively. The 1oaves inserted between the flights are guided by a guide rail 282 engaging one side 0f the loavea. This guide is provided with strips 284 sliding between rollers 286, supported on uprights 288 and a tension spring 290 urges the guide forwardly toward the path of the pusher. A cable 292 is connected at one end to guide 282 and at the other end to a bar 294 fastened 130 one of the frames supporting the folders. The length of the cable is such that the rail 282 is maintained in a position slightly to one side of the path 0f the pusher and advanced toward or retracted from the same as the pusher is contracted or expanded to conform to diflerent lengths of loaves.

While a set of flight5 is at loaf-ejecting position the pusher advances and ejects the loaf 011 130 a lifter table 296 which has hubs 298 fastened to shaft 88 a1; either side of block 91, shait 88 carrying a cam 1ever (not shown) Whereby shaft 88 is intermittently rocked to periodically raise the table from loaf-receiving position to a horizontal V position aligned with a table 300. A web of wrapping material (not shown) is fed into position to be partially enfolded about the loaf during its delivery to, the lifter table, a described in'the above-mentionecl Jensen application, S. N. 225,697, and the tuckers are moved apart to admit the partially enfolded loaf therebetween and then moved inwardly to tuck the ends of the wrappers. During the ascent of thelifter table the top folders 22 fold the upper wrapper flaps over the tuckers. Then the loaf is advanced by flights (nt shown) carried by a continuously traveling chain 1:0 advance the loaf upon table 300 whereby the final b0ttom flap is folded under the bottom of the loaf and the plough folders 2 4 and. the bottom folders 26 complete the folding of gage and tuck said wrapper, a device for automatlcally m0ving said members toward each other with a parallel rectilinear movement alter ported an the supports, and said mechanismlntaneously turning said screws to vary the positions of said members on their supports.

3. The combination wlth a horizontal shaft, of a lifter table mou'nteol on said shaft and movable from a lower position at which lt receives an article partially enfolded in a wrapper to an upper position, a set of members movable with said table adapted 120 be moved with a parallel rectilinear movement toward each other to engage and tuck saicl wrapper, a device for automatically moving said members toward and away frorn each other with a parallel rectilinear movement, and mechanism for adjusting said members to accommodate articles of various size therebetween, said device -inclucling Supports slidably mounted 011 said shaft and. movable toward and away from each other, said members being slidably supported on the supports, and said mechanism ineluding a right-hand 'screw threaded into one of said members, a lefthand. screw threacled into the other of said members and. means for simultaneously turning: said scr ews to vary the posltions 0f said members on their supports, said means inoluding a tube fastened to one of said screws and slidably mounted the partially enfolded article is dellvered to said table, to press and hold the edges of the wrapper against. the ends of said article and mechanism for simultaneously adjusting said membels toward or away from each other to accommodate articles of Vari0us sizes therebetween.

2. The combination with a horizontal shaft, of a lifter table mounted on said shaft and movable from a lower position at which itreceives an article partially enfolded in a wrapper to an upon the other of said screws, a universal joint connected to one of said screws and adapted 120 rotate said. screws and. thereby adjust said members toward and away from each other, and instrumentalities for turning saicl universal joint.

4. The combination with a lifter table' p-ivotally inent toward each other to engage and tuck said wrapper a device for automatically moving said members toward each other With a parallel rectilinear movement after the partially enfoldecl article is delivered 110 said table to press and hold the edges of the wrapper against the ends of said article, and mechanism for simultaneously ad- J'usting said members along said pivot to accom- 

